Antonio L. Colina IV, Minda News, August 19 DAVAO CITY — The Philippines will buy submarines from Russia despite the warning issued by a US defense official not to acquire military hardware from Russia, President Rodrigo Duterte said. Duterte criticized the US for interfering in the country’s plan to get submarines from Russia to modernize the navy during a speech at the mass oath-taking of barangay officials in the regional political party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) at the SMX Convention Center Davao on Friday. He said the neighboring countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors own submarines, citing Vietnam with seven; Malaysia, two, and Indonesia, eight. Duterte said he wants to meet the US officials in a forum to hear from them why they oppose the Philippines’ plan to buy submarines from Russia. “You state your case why you are against my country acquiring submarines. Give me the reason why and make it public. You want us to remain backward,” he said. “Not helpful” The Manila Times quoted Schriver as telling reporters in a round-table discussion at the US Embassy in Manila last Thursday that the Philippines “should think very carefully” about purchasing equipment from Russia because “I don’ think that is a helpful thing to the alliance.”

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